Boot-upper



(No Model.)

- 0.- JOHNSON.

BOOT UPPER.

No. 365,601. Patented June 28, 1887.

11.1111 1 "M 'WIIIIIHII 411/1247 Attorney UNITED STATES,

PATENT 7 OFFICE.

O'ITER JOHNSON, OF LORDSBURG, TERRITORY OF NEYV MEXICO;

BOOTY-UPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,601, dated June 28, 1887.

Application filed September 23, 1886. Serial No. 214,349. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be itknown that I, OTTER J onNsoN, a citizen'of the United States, residing at Lordsburg, in the county of Grant and Territory of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot-Uppers; and I,

do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates more particularly to boot legs or uppers; and it has for its objects to strengthen and stiffen the boot-leg so that it will not wrinkle, and yet permit it to give with every motion ofthe wearers leg or ankle, to construct the upper without scams on its interior, thereby presenting a smooth even surface to the foot andenabling it to be manufactured without turning, which latter operation often destroys the crimp of the boot by stretching it out of shape and straining the seam. or breaking the stock alongside the seam; and, finally, by attaching the counter to'the outside of the boot, thus further strengthening the upper and preventing the boot running over; and it consists ofthe parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boot with my improvements attached, the drawing strap or brace being partly broken away to show the underlying parts. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line X X; Fig. 3, a cross-section on the line y y, and

,Fig. 4 a detail view of the spring-metal fork.

Si milar letters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the front of the boot-leg, and B the back. The edges of the front and back are brought together and turned out, instead of in, and stitched together, thus forming the D are somewhat longer than the leg itself, and have their upper ends turned overand stitched to the leg on both sides of the seam, on the outside of the leg, so as to form drawing loops or straps F. This construction prevents the seams ripping, and also insures the retention of the straps inplace against whatever strain may be placed upon them.

The counter E, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, is stitched to the outside of the upper and covers the lower endsof the strapsand seams onboth sides, thereby preventing the seams or straps from ripping and the boot running over. Necessarily, when stitching the straps oi braces D, a small space is left between the stitching and the seams on both sides of the latter from top to bottom. In this space I insert the arms of the spring-metal fork G.

This consists of the plate a, provided with a suitable number of perforations, b, by which it may be secured to the boot-legimmediately under the straps or loops F by means of rivets or in any other suitable manner, and the arms 0, the plate and arms being formed from one piece of metal. These arms are-triangular in cross-section, and when inserted beneath the strap or brace D, so as to straddle the seam O, complete] y fill the spaces between said seams and the stitching of the straps, and thus cause the outside of the boot to present a smooth even surface. The arms 0 extend down the boot-leg to near the ends of the braces, being slightly enlarged to permit of a slight play of the ends of the arms a when the boot is being put on or removed, or in walking. Thus it will be seen that I provide a boot which is perfectly smooth on the inside from top to bottom, having its counteron the outside and covering the lower part of the side seams andthe lower ends of thestraps or braces, thus preventing them from ripping and the boot running over, while the spring-fork will stiffen the leg so that it will not wrinkle, and yet give the ankle full play.

Having thus-described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The spring-metal fork as a side support for a boot-leg, consisting of the perforated plate a and the triangular arms 0, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a boot-upper, of the outwardly-turned side seams, O, the braces or straps D, stitched over said seams and forming the loops F, the forked spring G, interposed between said braces and the boot-leg,

and the outside counter, E, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTTER JOHNSON. \Vitnesses:

HonAo-E AMBLER, J. J. KIRK. 

